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When Should I Have My
Child's Eyes Examined For the First Time?
This is a very common question from all
moms and dads with youngsters.
FYI: Undetected vision problems can significantly affect a child’s ability
to read and learn.
My recommendation is to have your child’s eyes examined for the first time
just before entering first grade. What if your child doesn’t know their
letters? … No problem. Most offices (including mine) have distance eye
charts and near reading cards with recognizable pictures (instead of
letters) to determine visual acuity.
However, there are exceptions to my recommendation; your child should be
examined before the age of 4 if your family has a history of lazy eyes
(amblyopia) and/or wandering eyes (strabismus). Studies show that if a
lazy eye is diagnosed and treated before the age of 4 the child can often
overcome their lazy eye as they get older and obtain 20/20 vision. Also an
early examination is important if your family eye history includes unusual
corrections (like one eye’s correction significantly different from the
other), significant farsightedness or nearsightedness.
When examining your child, your eye doctor will ensure that your child
sees clearly at distance and near, and determine if a vision correction is
required. Your doctor will also check for other frequent problems that can
interfere with learning, like eye muscle skills, alignment and balance,
and evaluate your child’s saccadic eye movements that are utilized while
reading. Often, simple eye exercises can be recommended for youngsters to
improve eye movement skills.
School vision screenings are usually quite effective for detecting
nearsightedness, farsightedness and reduced visual acuity. School
screenings are “screenings” and should not be substituted for an eye
examination by an Optometrist or Ophthalmologist. In recognizing the
importance of detecting vision problems that can affect learning, many
states are moving towards mandatory vision examinations as a part of
pre-school requirements, such as vaccinations and hearing testing.
The Bottom Line: It is essential that
your child has a thorough eye examination before their formal schooling
years to ensure that any vision problems are detected, diagnosed and
treated to allow for your child’s best learning potential.
~RQ
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